What is a church?

Yesterday David went to the dedication ceremony of a new church building in Sapporo. It is a church that was started over 50 years ago by OMF and over the intervening years God has grown this church and blessed it in many ways. The church has sent out missionaries overseas and because it has had many students attend over the years, many of these students have gone their different ways and contributed to the extending of God's kingdom throughout Japan. The new building itself is great. The church wanted a building that reflected the theme of 'light' and as soon as you enter the building you are in a place that is bright and welcoming. But of course a church is so much more than just bricks and mortar (or whatever latest materials were used for this new building). A building itself can look good and offer an ambience of peace and light, but it is the people inside who really make the church what it is. The comment was made more than once yesterday that the old building has gone and a new building has risen in its place - but the people remain. And indeed the hope is that many more people will in time be added to this church - not to a building but to the community of God's people which forms the church in that area. It was a privilege to be part of that gathering yesterday as God's people dedicated not just their new building but themselves afresh to all that God will do through them in the years to come.